Mexican Army
© Ulises Ruiz / AFPThe area was cordoned by members of the Mexican Army, National Guard and Guerrero state police, file photo.
The scorched remains of a band of 10 indigenous musicians have been discovered in southern Mexico and investigators suspect that a vicious drug gang carried out the brutal slayings.

The bodies of 10 members of the Sensación music group were found in the rural Mexcalcingo community, in the southern state of Guerrero.

The musicians, from the Nahaus indigenous group, the largest in Mexico, were traveling in two vans along the country road when they were reportedly stopped at a checkpoint by a band of armed men from a 'Peace and Justice' group linked to the infamous Los Ardillos crime syndicate.

Local police say the armed men first burned the two vans then killed all the musicians, El Universal newspaper reports. The gang then blocked the road leading to the scene of the horrific attack to prevent authorities from moving the bodies.

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The shocking incident took place in broad daylight at approximately 2pm as the band returned from performing at a party hosted by a local employer, according to Televisa.

The police learned of the incident when someone reported a vehicle on fire on the quiet road. The area was cordoned by members of the Mexican Army, National Guard and Guerrero state police in order to protect the scene.

The notorious Los Ardillos gang has been involved for more than two decades in drug trafficking, extortion and kidnapping in the mountainous region of Guerrero.